[Rex winces at the touch to the shoulder, withdrawing his body immediately, the reaction occurring before he even has the time to think. Touch is no longer welcome, not from strangers, not that it ever really was...
But, wow, that sure happened quickly.
Quietly, Rex mulls over what that must imply. That things will not feel right, or normal, in a long time.
Or ever.
He thought he'd already made peace with it.]
Chicago.
[He says in the softest voice he's used since he's arrived.]
Are you from here?
[California, he means.]
'Cause you sound-
[It takes all of the willpower he can muster in this moment to resist saying "stupid," that's not fair to anyone who speaks with a Southern drawl, and he's trying his damndest to not be a shithead-]
Like the kinda guy who'd be the poster child for Texas Roadhouse or... Some Republican hate crime.
[That fills Rex in with a few good old fashioned context clues.
Like always, Cecil has kept the non GDA contract employee in the dark about a few slippery details, but the old bastard has gotten sloppy lately. It would have been helpful to know that he'd have to be semi-undercover from the start.]
I'm guessin' one of them has got to be-
[crystal i am so sorry you had to wait so long for this foolishness, i swear to god-]
no subject
But, wow, that sure happened quickly.
Quietly, Rex mulls over what that must imply. That things will not feel right, or normal, in a long time.
Or ever.
He thought he'd already made peace with it.]
Chicago.
[He says in the softest voice he's used since he's arrived.]
Are you from here?
[California, he means.]
'Cause you sound-
[It takes all of the willpower he can muster in this moment to resist saying "stupid," that's not fair to anyone who speaks with a Southern drawl, and he's trying his damndest to not be a shithead-]
Like the kinda guy who'd be the poster child for Texas Roadhouse or... Some Republican hate crime.
no subject
[That's a reaction. His face shifts away from placid cheerfulness into something more vaguely concerned despite himself.]
[Chicago. A city. So what is he doing...]
[Here....]
[Now that last part is getting him to stare blankly at the man with the restrained annoyance only Southern hospitality can muster.]
I'm from here. Yes. [A sigh.] Want me to drag out my favorite country sayings about cows? I can do that, too. Why not. Just for you, city slicker.
no subject
Like always, Cecil has kept the non GDA contract employee in the dark about a few slippery details, but the old bastard has gotten sloppy lately. It would have been helpful to know that he'd have to be semi-undercover from the start.]
I'm guessin' one of them has got to be-
[crystal i am so sorry you had to wait so long for this foolishness, i swear to god-]
"MOOOOO-"VE ON?